Narrative:

Flight purpose: practice instrument approachs. WX, NOTAMS and filing were accomplished via duats. The flight plan included an approach (localizer runway 6) at burlington almanac regional (kbuy) followed by the VOR-a at siler city (5w8). Radio contact established with greensboro approach while eastbound at 5000 ft. Request was made to 'pick up my IFR flight plan to 5w8 (siler city, nc).' I was informed that the ADF at kbuy (used to identify the IAF FAF) was not available. Additionally the localizer had been OTS 'for over a yr.' the controller was very helpful and an approach was made at kgso without incident instead. Debrief notes: 1) the ADF and procedure are noted as unavailable in the fdc portion of the NOTAMS (after many pages of fdc NOTAMS). The ADF not being available is not clear in this NOTAM. Pilot error noted. 2) amdt 2A is noted on the approach plate for the localizer runway 6 procedure (lower left corner). Amdt 2A refers to the ADF (per the fdc NOTAM). 3) amdt 1 is not on the approach plate. It refers to the procedure not being available. Suggestions and learning points: 1) if an approach has not been available for some time (ie 1+ yrs) it should not be published. 2) both amendments (amdt 1 and amdt 2A) should be printed on the approach plate. 3) approachs not being available should be in the local/distant portion of the NOTAMS. The fdc NOTAMS are legalese and not useful outside a courtroom (or in the cockpit). 4) it is unclear where the verbiage of amendments 1 and 2A in this fdc NOTAM can be obtained. 5) that was the last brief I got from duats. Future briefs will be obtained the old fashioned way from an FSS briefer. 6) due to the lack of clarity (to a pilot, they are great for a lawyer) in the fdc NOTAMS, it is reasonable to foresee an FSS briefer missing the notes on the localizer runway 6 approach at burlington (kbuy).

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GRUMMAN AA1B PVT PLT LEARNS FROM CTLR AT GSO APCH THAT THE ADF AND THE LOC APCH PROC ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT A PLANNED APCH ARPT AT BUY, NC.

Narrative: FLT PURPOSE: PRACTICE INST APCHS. WX, NOTAMS AND FILING WERE ACCOMPLISHED VIA DUATS. THE FLT PLAN INCLUDED AN APCH (LOC RWY 6) AT BURLINGTON ALMANAC REGIONAL (KBUY) FOLLOWED BY THE VOR-A AT SILER CITY (5W8). RADIO CONTACT ESTABLISHED WITH GREENSBORO APCH WHILE EBOUND AT 5000 FT. REQUEST WAS MADE TO 'PICK UP MY IFR FLT PLAN TO 5W8 (SILER CITY, NC).' I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ADF AT KBUY (USED TO IDENT THE IAF FAF) WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ADDITIONALLY THE LOC HAD BEEN OTS 'FOR OVER A YR.' THE CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL AND AN APCH WAS MADE AT KGSO WITHOUT INCIDENT INSTEAD. DEBRIEF NOTES: 1) THE ADF AND PROC ARE NOTED AS UNAVAILABLE IN THE FDC PORTION OF THE NOTAMS (AFTER MANY PAGES OF FDC NOTAMS). THE ADF NOT BEING AVAILABLE IS NOT CLR IN THIS NOTAM. PLT ERROR NOTED. 2) AMDT 2A IS NOTED ON THE APCH PLATE FOR THE LOC RWY 6 PROC (LOWER L CORNER). AMDT 2A REFERS TO THE ADF (PER THE FDC NOTAM). 3) AMDT 1 IS NOT ON THE APCH PLATE. IT REFERS TO THE PROC NOT BEING AVAILABLE. SUGGESTIONS AND LEARNING POINTS: 1) IF AN APCH HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE FOR SOME TIME (IE 1+ YRS) IT SHOULD NOT BE PUBLISHED. 2) BOTH AMENDMENTS (AMDT 1 AND AMDT 2A) SHOULD BE PRINTED ON THE APCH PLATE. 3) APCHS NOT BEING AVAILABLE SHOULD BE IN THE LOCAL/DISTANT PORTION OF THE NOTAMS. THE FDC NOTAMS ARE LEGALESE AND NOT USEFUL OUTSIDE A COURTROOM (OR IN THE COCKPIT). 4) IT IS UNCLEAR WHERE THE VERBIAGE OF AMENDMENTS 1 AND 2A IN THIS FDC NOTAM CAN BE OBTAINED. 5) THAT WAS THE LAST BRIEF I GOT FROM DUATS. FUTURE BRIEFS WILL BE OBTAINED THE OLD FASHIONED WAY FROM AN FSS BRIEFER. 6) DUE TO THE LACK OF CLARITY (TO A PLT, THEY ARE GREAT FOR A LAWYER) IN THE FDC NOTAMS, IT IS REASONABLE TO FORESEE AN FSS BRIEFER MISSING THE NOTES ON THE LOC RWY 6 APCH AT BURLINGTON (KBUY).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.